So, Darkest Dungeon 2 hit like a truck we weren’t ready for, right? Just when we thought the chaos in Kingdoms mode couldn’t possibly get more chaotic, BAM! They add this whole new layer to it. Imagine taking the dark and gritty vibe we all love and tossing it into something that resembles a board game made for your nightmares, swapping the turn-by-turn brawls for a strategic twist. It’s kinda like chess, but, you know, your pieces might actually eat you. Anyway, developers at Red Hook were chatting about adding new stuff—’modules’ they call ’em—and surprise, surprise, they kept their word. The hot-off-the-presses expansion, Secrets of the Coven, is here to mess with us.
Okay, pause. Quick summary for those who haven’t poked Kingdoms with a stick yet. You’re thrown onto this big ol’ board set with tiles. You’ve got a dastardly villain trying to take over the world—what a cliché, huh?—and your job is to wander through these tiles. Battle baddies, navigate your way through a labyrinthine maze, find the boss, and give ‘em the boot. Oh, and there’s this timer ticking away—which honestly just feels rude. Only so many ‘days’ till the big bad guy locks in their evil plans. So it’s a race against time, sorta. Push through opponents, find dear ol’ inns to rest, or have them smothered by enemy forces if you’re not careful. And if you lose too many inns—yeesh, don’t get me started on that heartbreak.
Speaking of inns, they’re lifesavers—or game-savers here—but also kinda needy. Protect them or watch them get overrun. The battles, by the way, don’t stray too far from the classic DD2 style. Lots of hectic strategizing with team setups. Every move counts, yada yada.
But, the real meat—the juicy center if you will—Secrets of the Coven is bringing witches into the fray! Red Hook’s teasing us with, “Secrets of the Coven brings an entirely new challenge as you face off against a group of nefarious witches,” which honestly is just begging for drama. Intriguing, missing threads and spooky influences, it seems they’re tightening the noose with mystery and magic. Not gonna lie, it’s kinda exciting.
Aside from the medieval spellcasters, Kingdoms just got a wee bit more user-friendly. You can now stash stuff at inns—yes, hoarding is officially valid again. And hoarders, god bless, can hawk items back to vendors now, albeit for a pittance. They also tossed in some snazzy assist tools for planning those killer team line-ups because… well, everyone knows a game plan is worth its weight in gold—or iron.
Oh, and right next to the free expansion we find The Binding Blade DLC. It’s a premium add-on with The Duelist and The Crusader. Anything that adds characters with swagger is a win.
Secrets of the Coven’s already live if you’re raring to try, and DD2’s going for half the price till April 21 if you fancy leaping in fresh. Snag it now or forever hold your peace. Or don’t. You do you.
Honestly, if you’re not feeling it, that’s chill. Plenty of fish—erm, games—in the sea. We’ve whipped up lists of primo roguelikes and RPGs to get lost in. Oh! And for the latest scoop on PC games or to join some chill game talks, hit us up on Google News or swing by our wild little Discord community. It’s pretty rad if you ask me.
